beyondvanity.com Blog

Clean…not spotless, clean. Salons are by nature difficult to keep clean, there’s dust from the nail techs and hair that travels to the farthest reaches of the salon. Your salon should be reasonably clean, the trash shouldn’t be overflowing and you shouldn’t be able to write your name in the dust on the retail shelves.

Sanitary…this is different than clean. The manicure/pedicure tools should be clean and kept in clean solution, towels should be kept in a closed cabinet, pedicure chairs and foot baths should be clean and sanitized, chemicals should be kept in their original container and be stored properly, combs and brushes should be clean and stored in a drawer. Don’t hesitate to ask about your salon’s sanitation policy, I never hesitate to explain ours to our clients. You want a relaxing salon experience, but you also want a safe one.

Comfortable…there should be a comfortable place for you to wait for your stylist/nail tech. Something to drink should be available, maybe a snack and your salon’s magazine rack or coffee table should have up to date magazines, current style books and somewhere for you to set your drink.

Friendly and welcoming…this is the most important. Our salon is like the TV bar “Cheers”, we know everybody’s name. Not every salon is like ours, but when you walk in to your salon, the receptionist should greet you and offer you somewhere to wait for your stylist/nail tech and something to read and drink. You should never walk in and sit for 15 minutes only to find out you’re on the wrong day or time or even worse in the wrong salon. From the moment you arrive you should be made to feel welcome and valued as a customer.

On your first visit you should be shown where to get something to drink, where to wait for your stylist, where the style books are, and most importantly where the restroom is. After that we expect you to make yourself at home.

Every salon is different for a reason, we all want something different from our salon experience. But these things should be present in every salon, no matter the size of the salon or the city it’s located in.

…knowledgeable, talented and confident. They should know and be trained to give you the latest style.

Your stylist should be nice and comfortable to talk to. Their interest should be your hair and your life.

Your stylist should look professional. That means hair and make-up should be done and they should be dressed like a salon professional.

Your stylist should be on time for your appointment and you shouldn’t be rushed or hurried. Anyone can run behind occasionally, but a stylist who is never on time or doesn’t book enough time for your service over and over again, isn’t respecting your valuable time.

Your stylist should be there when they say they will. Not showing up for work, showing up late or always calling you at the last minute to cancel or change your appointment is rude.

If your stylist decides to change salons, they should give you notice before your next scheduled appointment. You shouldn’t walk in and find out your stylist has moved when you’re expecting to have your hair or nails done.

Our lives are all hectic and frustrating at times, your salon visit shouldn’t be either of these. At Beyond Vanity we hope your relationship with us is always friendly, welcoming, and you always leave with beautiful hair and nails…and your next appointment already booked.

The best and most important answer to this question is that your hair will be in almost “virgin” condition after coloring with enzyme developers. These developers can be used with any tint, high lift tint, bleach or foil technique, so whether you’re an all over color or weaving several colors; your hair will be in better condition with enzymes.

Hair color is mixed with a developer, peroxide or enzyme, to carry the color molecule into hair to deposit the color. The cuticle layer of each individual hair is like the scales of a fish, each overlapping slightly the one below it. That layer has to be opened for hair color to penetrate and deposit. Peroxide chemically “blows out” the cuticle of your hair, creating a dry crunchy feeling to your hair after coloring. With enzymes we use low heat to gently open the cuticle so the color molecule can penetrate. The result is healthier, shinier, more lustrous hair that has more volume and texture.

Fading is another reason to use enzymes. Your hair color won’t fade like it does with peroxide. Reds are brighter, browns richer and blondes simply stunning…brassy tones are eliminated completely.

Best of all, you won’t be in the salon all day. Enzyme developers process in 15 to 20 minutes on most hair, so you’re in the salon about an hour for a base color.

Thanks to our wonderful clients for making 2008 one of our best years ever. We’re looking forward to keeping you beautiful in 2009.

This year we’ll continue to blog about how to care for your hair and nails, products we love, new techniques we learn and questions people ask us. We’re looking forward to another great year together.

People ask me all the time if it’s possible to grow strong, beautiful natural nails. I always tell them that with surprisingly little work, they can have great natural nails.

Weekly manicures that include paraffin and specific treatment products are the first step. You need a professional to evaluate your hands and nails and get you headed on the path to beautiful nails. A nail tech will tell you what type of nails you have, normal, dry, brittle, etc. and recommend a treatment program for the salon and at home.

No matter what type of nails you have, there are basics everyone needs to do:

Every day massage your nails and cuticles with nail oil or cuticle cream. I recommend most people do this before bed, but if that’s not convenient for you anytime of day will be better than never. Do this even if you have polish on your nails, it will keep your nails and cuticles soft and pliable and it has the added benefit of increasing blood flow to the nails which encourages growth.

Every other day apply a coat of a recommended treatment product or top coat. This will help keep your nails strong, your polish from chipping and keep it shiny until your next manicure appointment.

File any snags gently and call your nail tech if you have a break to see if it can be patched.

Your nails aren’t tools. Get in the habit of dialing the phone with your knuckle or a pencil; the same goes for elevator buttons…use your knuckle. Dial your cell or text with the side of your thumbs, not the nails. Don’t scrape labels with your nails, wear rubber gloves when cleaning…these are all habits that once you start using them will save your nails.

I promise you’ll have beautiful natural nails before you know it.

You’ve invested time and money finding a talented colorist…don’t waste either by using the wrong shampoo or mistreating your hair.

There are several options when buying shampoo for color treated hair…and they’re not as expensive as you might think.

The best we’ve found is PureOlogy. One of the great things about PureOlogy is that they make several different types of shampoos and conditioners, all for color treated hair. So if you need volume, hydration or dramatic improvement in the condition of your hair…there’s a shampoo, conditioner and styling product for you.

They’re guaranteed…if within 4 weeks of the date of purchase you have been exclusively using a PureOlogy product and you are not satisfied with the performance or the color retaining results PureOlogy will provide you with a full refund.

We also recommend Framesi Biogenol shampoos and conditioners. With a lower price point, Biogenol offers color protection with a variety of shampoos, conditioners, and styling products.

In addition to the products you use, think about protecting your hair when you’re in the tanning bed, at the lake, beach or just outside gardening all day. Cover your hair with a towel or scarf in the tanning bed and wear a hat when outside to protect your hair from the lightening effect of the sun.

Hair color is an investment; it expresses your personality and tells everyone who you are.
Talk to your stylist about home care for your color treated hair, you’ll be much more satisfied with your hair color.

Welcome to Beyond Vanity. Thanks for stopping by, we’ll be posting about hair and nail care, our favorite products and whatever else you want to talk about.

Post a comment or drop us an email.

John and Dani Clark